twenty years after(二十年后)-第134节

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Several　inns　were　visited　by　them；　several　innkeepers
questioned；　without　a　single　clew　being　given　to　guide　their
inquiries；　when　at　Montreuil　Athos　felt　upon　the　table　that
something　rough　was　touching　his　delicate　fingers。　He　turned
up　the　cloth　and　found　these　hieroglyphics　carved　upon　the
wood　with　a　knife：
〃Port　。。。。　D'Art　。。。。　2d　February。〃
〃This　is　capital！〃　said　Athos　to　Aramis；　〃we　were　to　have
slept　here；　but　we　cannot　　we　must　push　on。〃　They　rode
forward　and　reached　Abbeville。　There　the　great　number　of
inns　puzzled　them；　they　could　not　go　to　all；　how　could　they
guess　in　which　those　whom　they　were　seeking　had　stayed？
〃Trust　me；〃　said　Aramis；　〃do　not　expect　to　find　anything　in
Abbeville。　If　we　had　only　been　looking　for　Porthos；　Porthos
would　have　stationed　himself　in　one　of　the　finest　hotels　and
we　could　easily　have　traced　him。　But　D'Artagnan　is　devoid　of
such　weaknesses。　Porthos　would　have　found　it　very　difficult
even　to　make　him　see　that　he　was　dying　of　hunger；　he　has
gone　on　his　road　as　inexorable　as　fate　and　we　must　seek　him
somewhere　else。〃
They　continued　their　route。　It　had　now　become　a　weary　and
almost　hopeless　task；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　threefold
motives　of　honor；　friendship　and　gratitude；　implanted　in
their　hearts；　our　two　travelers　would　have　given　up　many　a
time　their　rides　over　the　sand；　their　interrogatories　of　the
peasantry　and　their　close　inspection　of　faces。
They　proceeded　thus　to　Peronne。
Athos　began　to　despair。　His　noble　nature　felt　that　their
ignorance　was　a　sort　of　reflection　upon　them。　They　had　not
looked　carefully　enough　for　their　lost　friends。　They　had　not
shown　sufficient　pertinacity　in　their　inquiries。　They　were
willing　and　ready　to　retrace　their　steps；　when；　in　crossing
the　suburb　which　leads　to　the　gates　of　the　town；　upon　a
white　wall　which　was　at　the　corner　of　a　street　turning
around　the　rampart；　Athos　cast　his　eyes　upon　a　drawing　in
black　chalk；　which　represented；　with　the　awkwardness　of　a
first　attempt；　two　cavaliers　riding　furiously；　one　of　them
carried　a　roll　of　paper　on　which　were　written　these　words：
〃They　are　following　us。〃
〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Athos；　〃here　it　is；　as　clear　as　day；　pursued
as　he　was；　D'Artagnan　would　not　have　tarried　here　five
minutes　had　he　been　pressed　very　closely；　which　gives　us
hopes　that　he　may　have　succeeded　in　escaping。〃
Aramis　shook　his　head。
〃Had　he　escaped　we　should　either　have　seen　him　or　have　heard
him　spoken　of。〃
〃You　are　right；　Aramis；　let　us　travel　on。〃
To　describe　the　impatience　and　anxiety　of　these　two　friends
would　be　impossible。　Uneasiness　took　possession　of　the
tender；　constant　heart　of　Athos；　and　fearful　forecasts　were
the　torment　of　the　impulsive　Aramis。　They　galloped　on　for
two　or　three　hours　as　furiously　as　the　cavaliers　on　the
wall。　All　at　once；　in　a　narrow　pass；　they　perceived　that　the
road　was　partially　barricaded　by　an　enormous　stone。　It　had
evidently　been　rolled　across　the　pass　by　some　arm　of　giant
strength。
Aramis　stopped。
〃Oh！〃　he　said；　looking　at　the　stone；　〃this　is　the　work　of
either　Hercules　or　Porthos。　Let　us　get　down；　count；　and
examine　this　rock。〃
They　both　alighted。　The　stone　had　been　brought　with　the
evident　intention　of　barricading　the　road；　but　some　one
having　perceived　the　obstacle　had　partially　turned　it　aside。
With　the　assistance　of　Blaisois　and　Grimaud　the　friends
succeeded　in　turning　the　stone　over。　Upon　the　side　next　the
ground　were　scratched　the　following　words：

〃Eight　of　the　light　dragoons　are　pursuing　us。　If　we　reach
Compiegne　we　shall　stop　at　the　Peacock。　It　is　kept　by　a
friend　of　ours。〃

〃At　last　we　have　something　definite；〃　said　Athos；　〃let　us　go
to　the　Peacock。〃
〃Yes；〃　answered　Aramis；　〃but　if　we　are　to　get　there　we　must
rest　our　horses；　for　they　are　almost　broken…winded。〃
Aramis　was　right；　they　stopped　at　the　first　tavern　and　made
each　horse　swallow　a　double　quantity　of　corn　steeped　in
wine；　they　gave　them　three　hours'　rest　and　then　set　off
again。　The　men　themselves　were　almost　dead　with　fatigue；　but
hope　supported　them。
In　six　hours　they　reached　Compiegne　and　alighted　at　the
Peacock。　The　host　proved　to　be　a　worthy　man；　as　bald　as　a
Chinaman。　They　asked　him　if　some　time　ago　he　had　not
received　in　his　house　two　gentlemen　who　were　pursued　by
dragoons；　without　answering　he　went　out　and　brought　in　the
blade　of　a　rapier。
〃Do　you　know　that？〃　he　asked。
Athos　merely　glanced　at　it。
〃'Tis　D'Artagnan's　sword；〃　he　said。
〃Does　it　belong　to　the　smaller　or　to　the　larger　of　the　two？〃
asked　the　host。
〃To　the　smaller。〃
〃I　see　that　you　are　the　friends　of　these　gentlemen。〃
〃Well；　what　has　happened　to　them？〃
〃They　were　pursued　by　eight　of　the　light　dragoons；　who　rode
into　the　courtyard　before　they　had　time　to　close　the　gate。〃
〃Eight！〃　said　Aramis；　〃it　surprises　me　that　two　such　heroes
as　Porthos　and　D'Artagnan　should　have　allowed　themselves　to
be　arrested　by　eight　men。〃
〃The　eight　men　would　doubtless　have　failed　had　they　not　been
assisted　by　twenty　soldiers　of　the　regiment　of　Italians　in
the　king's　service；　who　are　in　garrison　in　this　town　so　that
your　friends　were　overpowered　by　numbers。〃
〃Arrested；　were　they？〃　inquired　Athos；　〃is　it　known　why？〃
〃No；　sir；　they　were　carried　off　instantly；　and　had　not　even
time　to　tell　me　why；　but　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　I　found
this　broken　sword…blade；　as　I　was　helping　to　raise　two　dead
men　and　five　or　six　wounded　ones。〃
〃'Tis　still　a　consolation　that　they　were　not　wounded；〃　said
Aramis。
〃Where　were　they　taken？〃　asked　Athos。
〃Toward　the　town　of　Louvres；〃　was　the　reply。
The　two　friends　having　agreed　to　leave　Blaisois　and　Grimaud
at　Compiegne　with　the　horses；　resolved　to　take　post　horses；
and　having　snatched　a　hasty　dinner　they　continued　their
journey　to　Louvres。　Here　they　found　only　one　inn；　in　which
was　consumed　a　liqueur　which　preserves　its　reputation　to　our
time　and　which　is　still　made　in　that　town。
〃Let　us　alight　here；〃　said　Athos。　〃D'Artagnan　will　not　have
let　slip　an　opportunity　of　drinking　a　glass　of　this　liqueur；
and　at　the　same　time　leaving　some　trace　of　himself。〃
They　went　into　the　town　and　asked　for　two　glasses　of
liqueur；　at　the　counter　　as　their　friends　must　have　done
before　them。　The　counter　was　covered　with　a　plate　of　pewter；
upon　this　plate　was　written　with　the　point　of　a　large　pin：
〃Rueil　。　。　。　D　。　。〃
〃They　went　to　Rueil；〃　cried　Aramis。
〃Let　us　go　to　Rueil；〃　said　Athos。
〃It　is　to　throw　ourselves　into　the　wolf's　jaws；〃　said
Aramis。
〃Had　I　been　as　great　a　friend　of　Jonah　as　I　am　of　D'Artagnan
I　should　have　followed　him　even　into　the　inside　of　the　whale
itself；　and　you　would　have　done　the　same；　Aramis。〃
〃Certainly　　but　you　make　me　out　better　than　I　am；　dear
count。　Had　I　been　alone　I　should　scarcely　have　gone　to　Rueil
without　great　caution。　But　where　you　go；　I　go。〃
They　then　set　off　for　Rueil。　Here　the　deputies　of　the
parliament　had　just　arrived；　in　order　to　enter　upon　those
famous　conferences　which　were　to　last　three　weeks；　and
produced　eventually　that　shameful　peace；　at　the　conclusion
of　which　the　prince　was　arrested。　Rueil　was　crowded　with
advocates；　presidents　and　councillors；　who　came　from　the
Parisians；　and；　on　the　side　of　the　court；　with　officers　and
guards；　it　was　therefore　easy；　in　the　midst　of　this
confusion；　to　remain　as　unobserved　as　any　one　might　wish；
besides；　the　conferences　implied　a　truce；　and　to　arrest　two
gentlemen；　even　Frondeurs；　at　this　time；　would　have　been　an
attack　on　the　rights　of　the　people。
The　two　friends　mingled　with　the　crowd　and　fancied　that
every　one　was　occupied　with　the　same　thought　that　tormented
them。　They　expected　to　hear　some　mention　made　of　D'Artagnan
or　of　Porthos；　but　every　one　was　engrossed　by　articles　and
reforms。　It　was　the　advice　of　Athos　to　go　straight　to　the
minister。
〃My　friend；〃　said　Aramis；　〃take　care；　our　safety　lies　in　our
obscurity。　If　we　were　to　make　ourselves　known　we　should　be
sent　to　rejoin　our　friends　in　some　deep　ditch；　from　which
the　devil　himself　could　not　take　us　out。　Let　us　try　not　to
find　them　out　by　accident；　but　from　our　notions。　Arrested　at
Compiegne；　they　have　been　carried　to　Rueil；　at　Rueil　they
have　been　questioned　by　the　cardinal；　who　has　either　kept
them　near　him　or　sent　them　to　Saint　Germain。　As　to　the
Bastile；　they　are　not　there；　though　the　Bastile　is
especially　for　the　Frondeurs。　They　are　not　dead；　for　the
death　of　D'Artagnan　would　make　a　sensation。　As　for　Porthos；
I　believe　him　to　be　eternal；　like　God；　although　less
patient。　Do　not　let　us　despond；　but　wait　at　Rueil；　for　my
conviction　is　that　they　are　at　Rueil。　But　what　ails　you？　You
are　pale。〃
〃It　is　this；〃　answered　Athos；　with　a　trembling　voice。
〃I　remember　that　at　the　Castle　of　Rueil　the　Cardinal
Richelieu　had　some　horrible　‘oubliettes'　constructed。〃
〃Oh！　never　fear；〃　said　Aramis。　〃Richelieu　was　a　gentleman；
our　equal　in　birth；　our　superior　in　position。　He　could；　like
the　king；　touch　the　greatest　of　us　on　the　head；　and　touching
them　make　such　heads　shake　on　their　shoulders。　But　Mazarin
is　a　low…born　rogue；　who　can　at　the　most　take　us　by　the
collar；　like　an　archer。　Be　calm　　for　I　am　sure　that
D'Artagnan　and　Porthos　are　at　Rueil；　alive　and　well。〃
〃But；〃　resumed　Athos；　〃I　recur　to　my　first　prop